Email and text marketing are key components of my role at The Carolina Opry, and I currently oversee all email, SMS, and MMS campaigns for an audience of more than 132,000 customers. I’m involved in every stage of the process, from writing copy and designing visuals to deploying campaigns and monitoring performance. These channels allow us to communicate directly with both locals and visitors in a timely, targeted way, whether we’re promoting upcoming shows, sharing important updates, or driving ticket sales. Across email and text messaging, my goal is to create clear, engaging content that feels cohesive with our brand while reaching the right audience with the right message at the right time.
Email is the most effective and revenue-driving communication channel at The Carolina Opry, and it allows us to share a wide range of content with our audience in a more detailed and intentional way. Throughout each week, month, and year, we use email to serve many different purposes, from high-level storytelling to time-sensitive promotions and guest experience communication.
Our monthly “Curtain Call” newsletter acts as a catch-all touchpoint, featuring theater and show updates, upcoming events, current specials, cast highlights, and expanded versions of content originally shared on social media. Beyond the newsletter, I create concert announcement emails for newly released artists, marketing emails that spotlight events we want to push more heavily, discounted ticket alerts, and localized campaigns for specific audiences. Email is also used as a key tool for enhancing the guest experience, with reminder emails sent to ticket holders that include arrival information, parking details, and optional VIP add-ons. Across all campaigns, my focus is on using email as a flexible platform that can inform, promote, and engage, while staying consistent with our branding and driving action.
SMS and MMS messages are used more selectively at our theater, but still play an important role in supporting our most time-sensitive and high-priority campaigns. These channels are often paired with key email sends, with text message subscribers receiving first access to new concert releases before they are announced to our full marketing email list. This approach helps build a more engaged, opt-in audience that feels exclusive and valued, increasing the likelihood that they open messages and take action when it matters most.
In addition to early-access announcements, I also build and deploy SMS and MMS for major alerts such as flash sales, limited-time promotions, and timely reminders. We also leverage text messaging after events, reaching concert attendees with recommendations for similar upcoming shows, as well as targeting lookalike audiences from past events with campaigns that align closely with their interests. Across all SMS and MMS efforts, my focus is on delivering clear, trustworthy messaging that feels intentional, visually clean, and effective without overwhelming the audience.
Ashlyn Howe 